UK passports to be altered for same sex parent option

by William ASTON on October 4, 2011

British passport forms are to be updated to include new options for those with same-sex parents.

The new forms will include “parent one” and “parent two” by the side of “mother” and “father” and should brought in before the end of this year. In a statement, the Home Office said that the additional terms are going to ensure that passports are issued to the right person.

In protest, gay rights groups have long insisted that the current and past forms have been discriminatory; however, family values campaigners vow that the changes do nothing other than denigrate roles of mothers and fathers. New proposals also include transgenders having the right to opt for sex-free passports instead of having to identify themselves as male or female.

Mr Sam Dick, the head of policies at gay rights outfit Stonewall, said that the changes reflect the reality of modern life for UK families, in turn making it clearer for those with same-sex parents putting in applications for passports, as well as more straightforward for officials that will later process them.

A spokesowman for IPS, the Identity and Passport Service, said it is essential for parents to provide the necessary information and protect the best interests of their children by making sure passports are issued securely to the right people.